Stoker



Feb. 26,- 1924. 11,484,638,

J. S. S. FULTON STOKER Filed March 1,5, 14920 4 sheets-sheet 1 STOKERFiled March l5. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb 25 w24. www@ J. s. Vs. FULTQNSTOKER Feb. 26 .1924. Y 11,484,633

J. S. S. FULTON Filed March 15. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 26,1924.

carre si' rs er JOHN s'. s. FULTON, or'orrrcaso, rumors sToKnn.

Application filed March 15, 1920. Serial Noi. 365,934.

To (1N 1/7102/1.. t may concern Be it known that l, Join: S. S. FULTON.a citizen ot the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county oi'Cook and State' ot Illinois. have invented certain new anduse'ful'lmprovements in Stokers7 olf which the following is adescription. Y

My invention belongs to that general class oi devices known as stokers.and particularly to the chain or traveling grate type of mechanicalStoker inY which the fuel is carried from a hopper located at one end of'the combustion chamber by the traveling grate. YMy invention has amongits objects the production Vof a device of the kind described which issimple. convenient. durable. reliable, efficient and satisfactory 'foruse Wherever found applicable. It has particularly as an object, animproved travelingl gra-te construction and the supporting and drivingmeans for the grate. Many other objects and :advantages of theconstruction herein shown and described Will be obvious to those skilledin the art from the disclosure herein made.

j To this end my invention consists in the novel constructiomarrangement and combination of parts herein shown anddescribed, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate `like'orcorresponding parts,

Figure 1 'isla' vertical sectional vieiv through 'the rear or inner endof the grate mechanism; j

Figure 2V is a sectional vieiv taken sub stantially on line '2 2 of Fig.1 or 3;

Figure 3 is. aV sectional vieiv taken substantially on line 3-3 ofFigure 1;

Figure 4- is a sectional view taken substantially on line el-eto'fFigure FigureV 5 is a sectionalview at the front end of the grate; j

'Figure 6 `is a perspective view'ofone of the links for carrying andconnecting the various grate unitsgrand j l Figure 7 is a sectional viewtakenv substantially on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Y"lhe'present invention is in the nature ot an improvement on the stokerillustrated in myUnited States Letters Patent No. 1.285.

6715v `Referring to the drawings. there is provided 'afstoker grateframe 8, 9. 10and 4S of suitable size. shape and material. Inthe'construction shown. the trame vis pro- 'the combustion chamber asdesired.

ever. usually at least tivo are desired.

vidcd'u'ith wheels 11 and mounted on tracks l2. arranged in thefoundation 13 so that the stoker mayY be moved into and out ot inFigures 1% the inner end ot the stoker is shown. the outer endbeing'illustratcd in Figures a and 7. The traine ispreierz-ibljYconstructed to lit between the side Walls 111 ot the settingnthis beinga detail. hou'- ever` forming no'part of the present inA vention. Thestoker trarne is provided with supportingI rails 1 and 2, it beingunderstood that there may be any number found necessary. this dependingto a more or less ef;- tent upon the size ot the stokei'. yl-lov. Therails'l carry `the traveling grate, and ba as they carry the fuel intothe .tui-nace or combustion chamber7 While the rails Q carry thereturning portions ot the grate.

Referring to Figure 6, there are Nprovided the desirednuIn-ber oflinks,y preferably substantlally as shown 1n this figure, each or' Whichconsists of a body portion 16 provided with side flanges extended at 17at Y.

one side or end, and withv 'flanges 18 at 'the opposite or advancingside. It Will be notedby referringto Figure 2 that ,the flanges 18 arespacedjinivardly so that when the links are assembled twofylanges 18o'iLl one link will fit in betvveen tivoflflanges 1T of the other linkadjacent to it at Vthat end. Each link carries a shaft or pin 19. whichconnects the adjacent link to it. and I'gpreferably mount rollers 20 ateach side of the link onthe shaft 19, and a roller 21 at the insidebetween the flanges itl-1S oi the nextlink.V Y j' The links `16 carry Ibeams or equivalents` which. in the construction shown.V areV secured inplace by brackets and bolts 2l. Carried by the I beams 22 are the 'gratebars 25 ot suitable size.

shape and material. In the preferred construction. the grate bars arearranged so that a bar onone linkextends between two adjacent bars onthe next link. etc. ln other Words. they7 interengage or interuiesh sothat all ot the spaces are substantiallyv closed between `the barssufficient to prevent vthe fuel and ashes from 'falling through and yetopen enough to let the air through. and the grate is flexible and inaddition selicleaning, as will be hereinafter described.

The track lrails 1 maybe secured to the Harige 27 of the frame bar 10 inany suitthe i able manner, as may also the lower rail It may bementioned that the lower' rail is preferably a Z bar, as indicated inFigure 3, and secured to the frame members 10 and to the parts of theframe bolts 28 or the equivalents for the purpose. In the constructionillustrated, the track rails 2 are preferably braced against side strainor sagging. by the clamping members 29 which may be constructed with thepart 30 so that it may be secured by the bolts 28 to the frame. As willbe obvious, the rollers 2l traveling on the tracks l, support the upperside of the traveling grate, while the rollers 2O traveling on thereturn tracks 2 carry the returning part of the stoker. To guide partsfrom one rail to the other, I arrange suitable parts at the inner end ofthe stoker, which parts carry the traveling grate from one rail to theother and prevent its kinking or binding. IVhile the parts just referredto may be provided by extending the rails l downwardly over the end ofthe frame and the lower rails 2 upwardly, I generally prefer to provideseparate parts, as shown, and

terminate the track rails adjacent the frame cross bar l0 as shown.VReferring particularly to Figures l and 4, I provide a ineinber 33 onthe outer side of the cross beam 1t), the saine being' semi-circular inshape and correspoinling in cross section to the rail l. whereby therollers 21 will follow around in the same manner as they travel on therails l.. The parts 33 are secured in place in any suitable manner, asshown, by bolts 35 extending' through the cross bar l() and part34 ofthebracket. In order to guide the rollers 20 onto'their supporting bars 2at the lower side of the grate, I provide guiding members 37 which arepreferably secured in place by the bolts 38 or equivalent means for thepurpose on the beam 10 at each side of the member 33.'l As shown, themember 37 is provided with lip 39 engaging with the under side of thebeam, and preventing any turning movement about the bolt 38. The twomembers 37 are made interchangeable. Each Vone is therefore providedwith two' lips 39 and two bolt holes. The members 37 are each providedwith a flange 40 which corresponds to the track 2 and engages therollers 2() and guides them on to the track 2 without any break. It isbelieved that the operation will be obvious, As the traveling gratemoves, the rollers 21 follow down on the part 33 until the weight of thegrate causes the rollers 20 to engage withy the fiangcs 40 of the parts37. The result is that the grate travels about the end from one track tothe other substantially noiselessly and without jar and vibration. Theashes are dumped into the pit as the grate passes the end. The parts 33and members 37, as shown, form substantially extensions tothe upper andlower track rails. This construction may be applied to either or bothends ofthe frame, if so desired, and suitable driving mechanislnemployed in connection therewith. In

the machine illustrated, however, I have only employed this at the innerendof they frame. i

I prefer to supply adifferent mechanism at the other or driving end,which is preferably the outer end of the grate. Referring to Figures 5and 7, 42 represents a fra-me bar corresponding with the cross beam orbar l0, the same carrying the tracks l and 2. The frame is provided withan extending part 48 which carries a shaft 45 extending' across fromvside to side ot the stoker. It willbe noted Vby referring to Figure 5that the tracks 1 V and 2 are preferably extended beyond the cross beam42 as indicated at 43 and 44, the end 43 being adjacent or slightlybeyond the center of the shaft 45. rIhe shaft 45, in the constructionshown, is larranged at the outer side of the front wall 46 of thecombustion chamber and hopper 4T. I have shown shaft 45 arranged in a.bearing 5G adjustably carried by the parts 4S, 51` being a bolt or theequivalent passing through the part 49 of the frame and engaged by'a nut52. This adjustable constructionv permits the desired tension to be puton the traveling grate, it being understood that any equivalent may beemployed for the'purpose. To drive and support the grate and to carrythe links and parts from the lower tracks to the upper tracks 1. Iprovide sprocket wheels 54 which ion maybe locked on the sha-ft bv keys55 or v der the hopper to receive the fuel and carry the same into thecombustion chamber. It will be particularly noted that this styleV ofsprocket wheel is rexceediugly simple and that by engaging and carryingthe rollers there is practically little if any friction between theparts. The result is that While the drive is positive and simple, thesame operates in a very efficient manner. The shaft 45 may be driven inany suitable manner, not necessary to describe herein.

It will he noted that with the two ends of the stoker constructed. asshown and described, there is no lubrication necessary at the inner endof the stoken` as would be the case were there a rotating shaft,bearings and sprocket wheels and like mechanism for carrying the chainfrom the upper to the lower track. At the sprocket wheel end, in this(ase the drive shaft, the sprocket mechanisms are without the combustionchamber', and there is not much cha-nce for dust. and

grit to get in the bearings as there would be at the inner side. It willbe also noted that with the type ot' chain and grate bar and supportingbars therefor illustrated, the grate bars are sub-stantiallyself-cleaning, that is to say, (see Figure l, as well as Figure 5) asthe grates travel from the upper tothe lower or from the lower to theupper trac.ks,/they tend to wipe or shear off any parts of fuel that maystick to the adjacent t@grate bars.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that Variousimmaterial modiiications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myseltl to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln an automatic stoker, a frame, upper and lower guide tracks carriedby said i ame, endless chains made up oi a plural-v ity o'l` links, tuelsupporting mechanism mounted thereon, two sets of supporting rollerscarried by each of said chains, one set of rollers operating on theupper guide tracks and the other setot rollers operating on the lowerguide tracks, and means mounted on said trame arranged to cooperate withthe first mentioned rollers and the second mentio-ned rollers forcarrying links and rollers from the upper to the lower guide tracks.

2. In an automatic Stoker, a tra-me, upper and lower guide trackscarried by said frame, endless chains made up of a plurality oi links,fuel supporting mechanism mounted thereon, two sets of supportingrollers carried by each ot said chains, one set ot rollers operating onthe upper guide tracks and the other set of rollers operating in thelower guide tracks, and track extensions mounted on said frame arrangedto cooperate successively with the first mentioned rollers and thesecond mentioned rollers for carrying links and rollers from the upperto Ythe lower `guide tracks.

3. ln an automat-ic. Stoker, a frame, upper and lower guide trackscarried by said frame, endless chains made up of a plurality of links,fuel supporting mechanism carried by said links, two sets ot' supportingrollers carried by each of said chains, one set of rollers operating onthe upper guide tracks, and the other set of rollers operating on thelower guide tracks, and means mounted on said trame to cooperatesuccessively with said sets of rollers for carrying links and rollersfrom the upper tothe lower guide tracks, comp-rising downwardly curvedtack extensions from the upper tracks and upwardly curved trackextensions from the lower tracks.

ll. ln an automatic stoker, a frame, upper and lower guide trackscarried by said frame, endless chains, fuel sup-porting means carri-edthereby. each chain made up of aplurality oi links, two sets of rollerscarried by each ot' said chains, one set of rollers operating on theupper guide tracks and the other set operating' on the lowerguidetracks, sprocket wheels for said chains arranged at one end ot'said frame and engaging' one set of rollers and cooperating guide tracksarranged at the opposite end ot said trame arranged to cooperate withsaid two sets of rollers carried by said chains and carrying' therollers operated on thel upper guide tracks until the engagement withthe other set ot rolle-rs arranged for operating` in the lower guidetracks.

ln a Stoker, a trame, guide tracks in the upper and lower portions ofsaid frame, the upper guide trac-k curved downwardly at one end, and thelower guide tracks curved upwardly. one at each side of and adjacentsaid curved end ot' the upper track, a. plurality ot' connected linksmo-vably mounted on said tracks. and grate mechanism carried by saidlinks.

l'n testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. S. FULTON. vWitnesses ROY W. HILL, BERTI-IA HARTMANN.

